Quote Of The Day By John Wayne: 'The Turning Point Was The Moment I Decided To...'

A bona fide cinematic icon, John Wayne starred in countless films during what is now known as Hollywood's Golden Age. Nicknamed "The Duke," the prolific actor gained recognition in the silent film era of the 1920s and became a household name in the 1970s. Beginning his career as an extra and prop man, Wayne appeared in several minor roles until John Ford's "Stagecoach" earned him some recognition.

Throughout the 1940s and 50s, Wayne appeared in films like "The Long Voyage Home," "Dark Command," "Fort Apache," "Red River," and "Wake of the Red Witch," among others. While Wayne's filmography is extensive, he was best known for his roles in war films and Westerns, including "The Searchers," "The Cowboys," "The Fighting Seabees," and "Flying Tigers." His final screen appearance was in "The Shootist," Don Siegel's acclaimed Western, which received many accolades.

Wayne won the Academy Award for "True Grit" in the best actor in a leading role category. He also won two Golden Apple Awards, two Golden Boot Awards, and a Jules Verne Légendaire Award. Although his television credits are sparse compared to his film roles, Wayne's films have inspired major moments in popular shows like "Breaking Bad." One of Wayne's rare television cameos was in "Wagon Train," which went on to inspire "Star Trek." Wayne's influence on American film remains unprecedented, which is why he is today's quote of the day.

"The turning point was the moment I decided to watch what was being done with my money."

The above quote is from John Wayne's 1971 interview with Playboy (via Scraps from the Loft). Wayne talked at length about being involved in "money-losing deals," including a specific incident involving lawyer and friend Robert Arias, and how half a million dollars was lost after a tragic accident.

When asked whether his financial condition improved since, Wayne was candid about being mindful about what was being done with his money, especially amid costs for his cancer operation in 1964. "If anything happened to me now, I have the right amount of insurance. I hope and pray, for my estate," Wayne added.

John Wayne's quote is deeply personal in the context of the financial hurdles he experienced in his day-to-day. "I'm about as big a rancher as there is in Arizona, so I have outside interests other than my motion-picture work," the actor clarified in the same Playboy interview to underline the breadth of his interests.

The conversation about finances turned vulnerable when Wayne mentioned the operations he underwent in 1964. "Well, I had two operations six days apart — one for a cancer that was as big as a baby's fist, and then one for edema," Wayne stated.

Even before Wayne faced personal hardships, poor business decisions had taught him to be more prudent with his financial decisions. "I didn't know how bad my financial condition was until my lawyer and everybody else said, 'Let's all have a meeting and figure out exactly where you stand,'" the actor said. "At the conclusion of that meeting, it was quite obvious that I wasn't in anywhere near the shape that I thought I was or ought to be after 25 years of hard work," Wayne concluded.

• "[On craft] The difference between good acting and bad acting is the difference between acting and reacting. In a bad picture, you can see 'em acting all over the place. In a good picture, they react in a logical way to the situations they're in." — from a compilation of Wayne's quotes by Variety
• "[On cancer] I thought about the possibility of death, but that wasn't what bothered me the most. It was the feeling of helplessness. I just couldn't see myself lying in bed, not being able to help myself. That, to me, was worse than the fear of death." — from a compilation of Wayne's quotes by Variety
• "[On his Oscar for 'True Grit'] I thought some day I might win an award for lasting so long, but I never thought I'd get this particular award ... If I'd known what I know now, I would've put a patch on my eye 35 years ago." — from a compilation of Wayne's quotes by Variety